Piluo Paleolithic site in Daocheng county, Sichuan province, dating back at least 130,000 years. (China Daily)

China's Top 10 New Archaeological Discoveries of 2021, the updated version of a widely-anticipated annual list that goes far beyond academic circles, was released on Thursday. They were eventually chosen from 20 final-round candidates by 21 top-tier scholars in the country through votes by open ballot.

The highlighted discoveries, from exotic-looking gold and bronze masks from the Sanxingdui site in Sichuan province to the mausoleum of a famous Western Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 24) emperor, are among the brightest stars of Chinese archaeology last year.

Huangshan site, Nanyang, Henan province, dating back over 5,000 years. (China Daily)

Jijiaocheng site, Lixian county, Hunan province, dating back about 5,000 years. (China Daily)

Gangshang site, Tengzhou, Shandong province, dating back about 5,000 years. (China Daily)

Sanxingdui site, Guanghan, Sichuan province, from about 3,000 to 3,200 years ago. (China Daily)

Zhengjiahu graveyard site, Yunmeng county, Hubei province, the Warring States period (475 to 221 BC) to Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). (China Daily)

Jiangcun grand tomb, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, Western Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 24). (China Daily)

Royal graveyard site of Tuyuhun people, Wuwei, Gansu province, Tang Dynasty (618-907). (China Daily)

Kiyakkuduk site of beacon towers, Yuli county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Tang Dynasty. (China Daily)

Zhongdu site, Fengyang county, Anhui province, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). (China Daily)